NHTSA Complaint #11024161 — 2005 DODGE DURANGO

THIS VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A NON INJURY ACCIDENT WITH PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE INITIAL CAUSE OF THE CRASH WAS DETERMINED TO BE POOR ROAD CONDITIONS. THE DRIVER WAS DRIVING ON A GRAVEL ROAD AFTER A RAIN AND HEAVY TRAFFIC. DRIVER ENTERED A SOUPY SPOT IN THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO TURN SIDEWAYS. DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN FROM THE INITIAL VEHICLE SPEED OF AROUND 25 MPH. VEHICLE THEN LEFT THE ROADWAY, DOWN A STEEP DITCH AND THROUGH A FENCE CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND THE FENCE. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE UPRIGHT. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS REMOVED FROM THE AREA, IT WAS STILL DRIVEABLE, BUT THERE WAS VERY LITTLE VEHICLE BRAKING. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE DAMAGE FOR THE ACCIDENT REPORT, INSPECTOR FOUND BRAKE FLUID LEAKING UNDER THE VEHICLE BELOW THE MASTER CYLINDER AREA OF THE VEHICLE. UPON OPENING THE HOOD, INSPECTOR NOTED BRAKE FLUID SPRAYED ALL OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. FOUND THE REAR PRIMARY BRAKE LINE AND THE FRONT PRIMARY BRAKE LINE WERE ROUTED IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THE TWO STAINLESS STEEL JACKETED LINES WERE RUBBING ON EACH OTHER AND THE REAR LINE HAD RUPTURED, THUS LOSING BRAKING ABILITY. THIS IS THE LINE THAT GOES FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. OWNER OF THE VEHICLE HAS OWNED IT SINCE 2006 AND NO BRAKE WORK OR MODIFICATIONS TO THE BRAKING SYSTEM HAVE BEEN PERFORMED WHILE CURRENT OWNER HAS POSSESSED VEHICLE. THIS APPEARS TO BE AN INSTALLATION ERROR FROM INITIAL PRODUCTION OF THE VEHICLE.